September 13, 2025

Get ready for some spicy drama straight from Washington! John Bolton, former US National Security Advisor, has come down hard on Peter Navarro, a Trump trade adviser, for his recent fiery words against India. Navarro had fired off repeated jabs, accusing India of making big profits from cheap Russian crude oil and blaming Indian tariffs for "costing American jobs." He even went as far as calling India a "laundromat for the Kremlin" and made caste remarks, saying "Brahmins are profiteering" from the Russian oil trade. Ouch! But Bolton isn’t buying Navarro’s narrative. In a sharp interview, he said, "Peter doesn't know anything about world affairs. Really, he has a hard time distinguishing who America's friends are, who America's friends should be, and how you treat friends." He painted Navarro as someone who argues with himself if left alone and called his comments "an aberration of the Trump administration," not reflecting wider American opinion. Bolton urged India not to read too much into Navarro’s statements as official US policy. His words come at a time when President Trump himself praised India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his "very good friend" and expressed hope for a "successful conclusion" in ongoing trade talks. Trump posted on Truth Social, "I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!" There's more! Last month, the Trump administration hit India with 25% reciprocal tariffs, plus an additional 25% on top for India's oil and weapons purchases from Russia. Bolton called this move "erratic," pointing out how Trump hasn't applied such tariffs on China, Turkey, or Pakistan, even though they also buy Russian supplies. "The sanctions are not part of normal trade conversation," he said, calling Trump's approach unpredictable and frustrating for India. Bolton summed it up with advice for India: Treat Trump's actions as a one-time thing and focus on India's national interest. He emphasized this is all "peculiar to Trump and not reflecting some larger American view." So, India can breathe easy — the official US stance is warmer than Navarro’s spicy words suggest! In the swirling world of international trade and politics, Navarro’s remarks may have stirred the pot, but Bolton’s clarity serves as a soothing balm, reminding everyone that friendships and diplomacy still matter deep down.

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Tags: Peter navarro, John bolton, India-us relations, Trade tariffs, Trump administration, Russian crude oil,